In honor of David Letterman’s last year on television, I thought I’d do my own Top Ten List. These terrible ideas are things I’ve personally heard said by singers, music professionals or others who don’t know better! Ready? 10. Singers shouldn’t do too many ab exercises. Oh my gosh, this is nuts. Singers need core… Read More » about Top 10 Terrible Vocal Training Tips
Vocal Technique
Repeating Lyrics: How to Turn Boring Into Mesmerizing
Can your choruses make a house cat yawn? Read on… NEW: I’m experimenting with creating this audio version of the post. Let me know if you find it helpful: So we all understand the value of a repeating ‘hook’ line in songwriting. But how do you repeat the same words multiple times without boring yourself… Read More » about Repeating Lyrics: How to Turn Boring Into Mesmerizing
Tempo, Key, Articulation & Why They Matter For Singing a Gazillion Lyrics
NOTE: The audio player should appear below, if not, please click on the title of this post and go online to hear. Available also on iTunes , Google Play, TuneIn Radio, Stitcher, Spotify, Android apps These days the song lyric count per bar norm is – more often than not – as many as one can possibly fit in…. Read More » about Tempo, Key, Articulation & Why They Matter For Singing a Gazillion Lyrics
Twin Sins of Powering The Voice: Too Little, Too Much
Balance Through all my years of singing, speaking and coaching others, I’ve come to appreciate a basic vocal fact: Vocal cords love to be buzzed… but they hate to be blown. (- yours truly) This is why the breath we send to and through them MUST be balanced… both supported and controlled. It’s a complicated… Read More » about Twin Sins of Powering The Voice: Too Little, Too Much
Listening to Tight Voices? Danger: It can Tighten Your Own
Whew.. even just looking at this pic makes me cough… Be careful what you listen to. You know that phrase ‘you are what you eat’? Well, your voice tends to mimic (be) what it hears (consumes). If you stop and think about it, the way a baby learns to talk is by listening to other… Read More » about Listening to Tight Voices? Danger: It can Tighten Your Own
Vocal Performance and Acting Technique: Making Choices
The colors your voice chooses determines the message heard. Masterful vocal performance and great acting have many parallels. For one thing of course, acting usually involves the voice to some degree. But did you know that to use the voice effectively requires certain acting skills? The third cornerstone of Power, Path and Performance vocal training… Read More » about Vocal Performance and Acting Technique: Making Choices
The Most Important Step To Vocal Improvement
one foot in front of the other… you’ll get there! Improving the voice is a multifaceted journey of exploration and surprise, filled with rabbit trails, pitfalls, toolsets, saboteurs, enablers, frustrations, u-turns, plateaus and sudden eureka moments. It is a journey of steps… and like a well-played video game, you want to take the ones that… Read More » about The Most Important Step To Vocal Improvement
Singing Low Notes at a Recording Mic: The Ninja Technique
This will be short but powerful post with a professional tip I have learned to sing my lowest notes in the vocal booth. For the first time, I’m including a little impromptu video from my webcam to illustrate. Simply put your hand on your sternum over your heart and gently press. It should cause your… Read More » about Singing Low Notes at a Recording Mic: The Ninja Technique
3-Step Process To Singing In Tune: Listen, Mime, Sing!
A basic requirement of the singing voice is the ability to sing in tune. Otherwise you must be content to make a joyful noise! I have tried several things in my vocal coaching and have settled on a three step process that is amazingly effective, even with people with some ear damage or who… Read More » about 3-Step Process To Singing In Tune: Listen, Mime, Sing!
Is My Vocal Coach Wrong?
OK so it happens. Experts disagree. When it comes to vocal technique, how do you know if what you’ve been told is right? First, here are three reasons voice experts may tell you different things: There is more than one way to help you do deal with that vocal issue. There is more than one… Read More » about Is My Vocal Coach Wrong?